APSU Sports: Austin Peay Volleyball

Morehead, KY – Austin Peay State University’s volleyball team begins play in the 2012 Ohio Valley Conference Volleyball Championship with a 3:30pm, Thursday contest against Tennessee State at Wetherby Gym.

Austin Peay (17-15, 10-6 OVC) enters the tournament as the fourth-seeded squad after finishing second in the OVC’s West Division. The Lady Govs enter the tournament as the only team in the league with two hitters with 400 kills. Senior outside hitter Nikki Doyle (422 kills) and sophomore outside hitter Jada Stotts (407 kills) became the first Lady Govs duo to reach 400 kills in the same season since the 1999 campaign.

While Doyle and Stotts have garnered the most attention because of their hitting numbers, head coach Taylor Mott quickly points to the team’s unsung hero – sophomore setter Cami Fields who led the league in both total assists (1210) and assists per set (10.34).

“Cami has done a remarkable job given the conditions she has been placed in during our matches,” said Mott. “Our passing hasn’t been as good as it needs to be and that puts Cami under a lot of pressure to get to the ball and put up a quality set. And I give her a lot of credit because she’s done the job night in and night out; our hitter’s numbers prove that.”

Tennessee State (17-13, 10-6 OVC) finished third in the OVC East Division, despite alternating wins and losses over the regular season’s final six matches. Tennessee State sophomore Naomi Wells finished as the league’s second-ranked hitter with 3.69 kills per set (410 total kills).

“Tennessee State is a dangerous team,” said Mott. “We were fortunate to get them on an off night at their place earlier this season. We have to be prepared to get off to a good start against them. I don’t believe we can give them a chance to get any momentum.”

Austin Peay and Tennessee State finished the season with identical conference marks, but APSU’s four-set win in Nashville, October 27th, provided the tiebreaker. The Lady Govs had three hitter record 10-plus kills, Stotts leading the team with a 16-kill performance.

Tennessee State’s offense was held to a .169 attack percentage thanks to nine Austin Peay blocks. Wells led the Tigers with 21 kills and a .372 attack percentage.